NO MORE COLLAR

Beignet has been without a collar for over a year now and is doing as well as can be expected. We found that her feathers on her tail were growing in with a hooked end to them.  It has to be painful because she plucks them out as soon as they are long enough to reach.  I now understand that she/we have two choices in her life: leave the collar on and have a poor quality of life or leave the collar off and let her go back to her pre-New family plucking.  When we got her she did fine, but had a history of plucking.  She did find until she injured her tail.  Now she plucks and digs at her tail which has a constant scab on it.  It looks awful, but she is happy.  She also began plucking where the collar used to be.  I've been praising her for getting pretty new feathers and that seems to be helping a wee bit.  

A few weeks ago I noticed that Beignet talks in her sleep.  She was on her little perch on a cart next to my desk and I heard her and looked, but she was sleeping.  I watched her for a little while and sure enough I heard her say, "love" in her sleep.  Not only does she speak English/human, but she dreams in English/human.  

Beignet and I came to an agreement in regards to biting.  I will only pick her up for good things and she won't bite anymore.  It works and she now looks forward to getting picked up, even resisting going to bed some nights because she wants to cuddle longer.  This is very new behavior for her.  

Over the summer I was hospitalized with a severe infection and Beignet had to live with someone else.  She lived with Bob's sister and her husband (Margie and Brian).  They provided her with a great view of Elliott Bay and of their sidewalk and street.  She adapted very well and so did they.  She has a long and dear memory and remembers people from her past.  I thought only elephants did that.  

We still count it one of life's blessings to live with this sweet manner little girl.  I'm so glad that parrots live a long time.